SchreckNet Data File
- Real/Birth Name: Jeanne de Valois-Saint-Rémy, Comtesse de la Motte
- Known Identity/Mortal Alias: Genevieve Montclair
- Place of Origin: Fontette, Bar-sur-Aube, France
- Height: 5'4"
- Occupation: CEO, Montclair Corporation
- Apparent Age: Mid-30s
- Embraced: 1791
- Kindred Status: Elder
- Sire: François Villon
- Notable Progeny: Johanna Sundström (Childe)
- Clan: Toreador
- Clan Status: Powerful elder
- Sect: Camarilla
- Sect Status: Primogen of Clan Toreador
- Player: NPC
Appearance
Genevieve has classical French beauty, with striking blue eyes and dirty blonde hair, although she typically dyes it in a different, more striking hue, generally favouring golden blonde but, on occasion, going brunette, redhead or other as she thinks best befits the occasion and would make the best impact. There is no one typical way she keeps her hair styled, as this changes on an almost nightly basis (and at times, various times a night) to best suit whatever occasion is required, although shoulder-length and naturally loose but voluminous appears to be her natural default. She has a perfect figure and knows how to use it - always wearing high-fashion clothing that is both elegant and maximises her appearance for the occasion, typically glamorous and attention-grabbing. She is always fully accessorized and employs perfectly applied make-up. Genevieve has various retainers and employees, but her personal assistant Marie, a professional stylist, is almost always by her side ensuring her make-up is always perfect.
Her smooth, naturally flawless figure and complexion are otherwise marred by an elegant fleur-de-lis tattoo on her left breast. Whilst elegant and attractive, it is usually covered by whatever clothing she wears and often concealed by her use of Obfuscate. On the occasion that it is has been clearly visible, more perceptive kindred have noted that the tattoo appears to be strategically placed over scar tissue that appears to resemble the letter V. This is typically only visually perceivable at anything other than close investigation by those with Auspex, with most requiring close visual examination or tactile feeling of the scar to detect it - things that Genevieve allows extremely few people to do. This scar is, therefore, an open secret - a few people know about it but less know if there is any significance to this, and asking [or telling others] about it is a sure way to earn Genevieve's wrath; which few people are willing to do. Those that would be willing to earn her wrath mostly already know its significance anyhow, although they all seem to choose to keep the information to themselves for their own reasons.
Background
Genevieve rarely talks about her mortal days - or even much of her unlife - except with other Elders who have her respect; or if there is need for it. However anyone with internet access, and who knows or discovers Genevieve's mortal name (which is an open secret - Genevieve does not hide her past, she merely states that it was a past [mortal] life and has had no bearing on her existence since her embrace.
Prelude
The infamous Toreador now known as Genevive was born to a poor descendent of the royal Valois blood, the third of six children (and one of only three to survive infancy). She and her sister Marie-Anne were neglected, went barefoot, tended the cows and often found it necessary to beg for food. They were rescued by the abbot of Langres, who took them to Boulogne near Paris where a priest and one of his rich parishioners, Madame de Boulainvilliers took care of them. Jeanne and Marie-Anne went to a boarding school in Passy. They were supposed to become nuns in the Longchamps monastery, but instead chose to go back to Bar-sur-Aube where they lived with the Surmont family. Of her siblings, Jacques died on military duty on Saint-Louis Island, and Marie-Anne went back to religious life; none of the three Sant-Rémy children had living descendants.
As she became a young woman, Jeanne noticed how drawn men were to her looks, and quickly learnt to use her feminine wiles to take advantage of naive and well-meaning nobles. On 6 June 1780 Jeanne married Mr Surmont's dim-witted nephew Marc-Antoine-Nicolas de la Motte, an officer of the gendarmes with a loose claim to the title of Comtess. At the time of her wedding Jeanne was heavily pregnant; only one month later (7 July) her newborn twins were baptised as Jean-Baptiste and Nicolas-Marc de la Motte, although both children lived only a few days. Jeanne never cared for Marc beyond his utility to her ends; and secretly was almost grateful of the death of her children as they served a means to an end and would have likely been an inconvenience to her plans, but Marc was all-too-easy to manipulate, and she used him for an elaborate scam involving Queen Marie Antoinette and Cardinal de Rohan that history would soon name The Affair of the Diamond Necklace. The plan worked and made Jeanne and her husband rich, but she had expected the monarchy would quietly cover the incident, and failed to anticipate the scandal and public uproar it caused. Jeanne's involvement came to light when the Cardinal was arrested, with herself and other co-conspirators arrested soon soon thereafter. In a very public trial that had the opposite effect that the monarchy desired of defending their honour, and made the public see the Queen as the guilty party, Jeanne expertly played the part of being an unwilling participant, and gathered public symathy, although she and her conspirators were found guilty. She was sentenced to be publicly whipped and branded with a fleur-de-lis, the symbol for thieves. The sentence took place in June 1786, around a month before her 30th birthday. The public were largely sympathetic to Jeanne, who they believed was a pawn being sacrificed by the "evil Queen", a sentiment Jeanne would later capitalise on. However, she only found about about the sentence on the morning it was to be carried out and fought every inch of the way as fourteen men dragged her to the steps of the Palace of Justice, stripped naked, flogged and then branded with the letter V for voleuse (thief). She struggled and twisted so much at the hot iron that the executioner botched the branding; instead of being branded on her left shoulder, the brand ended up on her chest, the agony of which caused her to bite one of her assailants and then faint. Along with her distressed and dishevilled appearance, this incensed the crowd and Jeanne was swiftly bundled off to serve life imprisonment at the Salpêtrière, a prison for "dissolute women".
Jeanne was in the prison for only one year before she managed to escape with the aid of outside allies who provided materials for Jeanne to sketch the key of her cell, which they used to create a duplicate of it and provided a disguise, which she used to escape the prison undetected disguised as a boy, and then smuggled across the ocean to England. Or at least, that's the story she told in her published memoires two years later. Not that she actually wrote the memoires herself, of course. They were composed by a French writer, a former actor whom Jeanne paid for his work with her mercenary favours. This “memoir” was very much designed to portray Jeanne as the heroine and the Queen as a villain, continuing the line she had maintained in her trial that she had been Marie-Antoinette’s “fixer” and was being thrown to the wolves. The book was banned in France, of course, but people still read it. It was also translated into English where it was popular for confirming most of the prejudices English people had about the French. The memoirs also brought in some cash, which Jeanne needed as Nicolas had squandered most of the proceeds from the sale of the necklace. Their marriage, which had survived multiple infidelities in the Parisian court, did not survive their exile to London. After the fall of the Bastille and the overthrow of the French government made him free of any risk of serving his punishment Nicolas returned to Paris. He lived there for the next forty years, receiving a pension from the de Rohan family in exchange for his not publishing his memoirs. Jeanne stayed in London, living in a small two-room apartment. She was, like most such minor celebrities, subject to a stream of visitors. One of the more notable was a servant of Marie-Antoinette in exile, who asked her (in exchange for a financial consideration) to confess to having forged the Queen’s signature on the letter assenting to the purchase of the necklace. At the time Marie Antoinette was the prisoner of the Revolutionaries, and he hoped that this would help to win her some clemency. Jeanne responded by showing him the burn mark on her chest from the branding and the scars on her legs from the whipping, and then throwing him out. The scandal of the Affair of the Diamond Necklace, combined with her memoires and minor celebrity status, attracted the attention of the Toreador elder François Villon, who had been forced to fake his death and flee to England by revolutionaries shortly after Joanne herself and saw in Joanne a kindred spirit. In 1791 she faked her death due to injuries from falling out a hotel room window whilst attempting to flee from bailiffs seeking repayment of bills. Secretly, this was a setup using a ghoul pawn and, in addition to faking her death, was dubious enough to also lead to rumours of her being murdered by Royalist sympathisers. A year later, in July of 1792, the Revolutionary Court of Paris quashed her conviction; part of their campaign to blacken the name of the monarchs. The following year, Marie-Antoinette was executed.
The Rise of Genevieve Montclair
After her Embrace, Jeanne reinvented herself as Genevive Montclair, and spent the next few years learning much from her sire and the London Toreadors (and their conflicts with the Ventrue) until he returned to Paris in 1799 after Napoleon's coup, eventually becoming Prince of Paris and France. Genevive was relatively content awhile, learning how to climb the kindred social ladder and even took a childe of her own in 1855 to great success despite her detractors. But she knew that her opportunities for high status in London would be too limited without severe risk, and craved other opportunities. She found the opportunity when she met the Ventrue Kratus, with who she formed an alliance that would serve them both and make them close allies until the modern nights. Together they led a Camarilla assault that conquered the growing town of Bakersfield from the Sabbat. Although only a small town, Kratus believed that the oil fields - which his agents had uncovered the existence of but was as yet not commonly known - if controlled, would grant power not just in the town, but throughout the entire region. Genevieve used her contacts to cause the water supply system to fall into disrepair, and set up sleeper agents. When the time was right, she used her pawns to begin a fire that quickly began to spread. When the fire response teams came, the sabotaged water pressure system was incapable of providing the needed pressure to put out the fires, which eventually burnt most of the town's buildings. The conflagration burnt many Sabbat as they slept, and Kratus and Genevieve led loyal allies and their ghouls to eliminate those that escaped the fires, using the chaos caused by the fire to cover their actions and protect the Masquerade. A few Sabbat that they managed to turn traitor and aid their takeover were granted amnesty and/or new identities. Together, now-Prince Kratus and his newly-appointed Seneschal (and Toreador Primogen) Genevieve re-incorporated the town as Ashford and encouraged the town's growth, in time developing it into a powerful and respected Cultural and Financial center.
The Sabbat Crusade
Together Kratus and Genevieve were a power couple. Together, their power and fortunes were absolute and immense and Ashford's fortunes and status in Kern County and California grew alongside their personal financial, political and cultural growth. Then the Sabbat Crusade brought it crashing to an end. The Prince's recent death in the Sabbat Crusade has ended their power-dominance arrangement and personally hit her hard. Whilst most of the kindred scrambled to salvage and consolidate their clans and vie for power in the new kindred structure, Genevieve almost neglected her clan and took advantage of the chaos during and immediately after "the riots" to purchase many of Kratus' more profitable companies, as well as other companies in areas that she had previously not been allowed to interfere with thanks to her agreement with Kratus. Some of her clan are resentful for this, claiming it shows her self-interest over the well-being of the Clan. Her supporters, however, support Genevieve's claim that her actions were necessary for her to now be able to financially support her clan members, many of who suffered severe financial losses and damages during the Crusade.
With the new pro-Anarch Brujah Prince, Genevieve has lost her former position of Seneschal, and therefore lost Camarilla status within the city and the influence and power that came with it. That said, although she may have lost her former status, her personal influence and power base has never been stronger. Genevieve now appears to be biding her time. Watching, consolidating her assets, building new alliances and raking up support and boons from those who need her financial or political influence in the post-Crusade recovery. Her detractors claim that she is not content to simply be Primogen of her clan after being Seneschal for so long and that, knowing she will be unable to regain the status with the new Council of Primogen, is playing a careful long-game and building up her power and moving her chess pieces, awaiting the right moment and opportunity to attempt to seize the throne of Ashford for herself.
She co-created Ashford, after all, so shouldn't it be hers by right?
Mortal Society
Genevieve is renown as the socialite owner of the Montclair Corporation a powerful conglomerate company that has subsidiary companies in the entertainment industry (Montclair Media recording company, and various tv stations and entertainment venues), hoteliering (the Montclair Group of Hotels), legal services (Montclair Legal LLC), real-estate development and brokerage (Montclair Realty) and public works (Montclair Water Co controls the collection and distribution of the water supply for domestic, agricultural and fire service use, on behalf of the Kern County water agency), as well as many other affiliates and smaller companies that she has absorbed into her business empire when they have been of interest.
The Montclair Corporation is currently the most powerful company group in Ashford, having recently usurped the Kratus group of companies after the board of directors and major shareholders recently disappeared or died during the "2016 Riots", including CEO Kratus himself who was killed in the infamous Opera House Massacre. In the corporate unrest that followed, Genevieve risked much with the Ashford stock index plummet and bought over several of the Kratus group companies; several being hostile takeovers.
In addition to all the direct power that Genevieve has via her business empire, which owns and controls large amounts of Ashford real estate, the water supply and most of the most successful and/or prestigious cultural and entertainment centres, Genevieve has many allies, contacts, ties and influence within the media, the judiciary and the political landscape of not just Ashford, but throughout the entire state of California, and beyond. Aside from her renowned business acumen, Genevieve is known as a staunch humanitarian who sponsors many local charities and organisations, and especially as a patron of the arts, and her name is renown - although only those in high society, or political or business big-shots actually know her face; as she rarely deals with the little people directly.
Personality
Genevieve has a powerful and ambitious personality, with the willpower to match. In her mortal days she was ambitious and was willing to break social, political and legal conventions to raise her status, and use or abuse anyone she could that would facilitate her rise. Unlife has only enhanced that, and time and experience have given her the experience to be a master intrigue player. She is at the top of the food chain of her Clan, and she knows it, and acts accordingly. She believes she deserves her position and the praise and respect that should be accorded it. In turn, she respects those who acknowledge her superiority over them. Genevieve is cunning and patient, and plays the long game; willing to take a few defeats to learn about her opponents and predicaments, before moving in for the kill. Even when she is defeated by another, she endeavours to bite down her anger and handle the situation with grace, learn from the experience, and beginning planning the next battle.
Whilst it is obvious that Genevieve puts herself ahead of everyone and everything, including her own clan - although she will state that what is good for her, as Primogen, is also good for the clan - and has a reputation for deception and ruthlessness, she has proven that she is capable of being a staunch long-term ally; at least as long as the alliance is beneficial to her, and has only been known to break alliances at mutual agreement, or when the long-term benefits of breaking the agreement outweighs the immediate circumstances. As the owner and CEO of possibly the most powerful corporate group in Kern County, if not California, Genevieve has proven to be as proficient with corporate intrigue as she is with social and political intrigue.
As can be expected from a Toreador with aristocratic background, Genevieve loves the finer things in life and is a renown hedonist. She always wears the most expensive designer clothing and accessories, lives in an opulent mansion, and has a veritable legion of retainers that serve to please her. She is renown for being vainglorious, and only surrounds herself with beautiful people, which she favours.
Despite her sometimes-undeserved reputation for vanity and callousness, when Genevieve is at Elysium, or if it is in her benefit to do so, when Genevieve puts on the charm she is so effortlessly charismatic and endearing that people turn to putty in her hands; and even the most obstinate hater has trouble trying to tell if she's faking politeness or genuinely pleasant. Even when insulting others, Genevieve is eloquent, charming and usually witty. It is only when she is angered, or dealing with those who are unattractive that she can slip and become rude or hostile. It is rumoured that Genevieve has earned the enmity of the Nosferatu clan with her dismissive and insulting attitude and remarks about them.
Other Notes
Marie (the 5th)
Those who want to deal with Genevieve, especially the kine, will soon find themselves dealing with "Marie" - Genevieve's Personal Assistant and stylist. Although her official job description is to act as her aide, keep abreast of the latest high-fashions, do Genevieves hair and makeup (Marie is a professional stylist by occupation), etc... pet or slave would be far more accurate descriptions.
Marie is actually a Canadian stylist named Annete Naylor who previously worked in Hollywood before Genevieve recruited her, although Genevieve always calls her Marie and, on the rare occasion anyone challenges her about it (Annete very rarely does anymore), will claim she is simply forgetful. Annete thinks Genevieve gets her confused with her predecessor, Marie, who died tragically during the 2016 riots and is therefore upset and confuses her name for this reason - and so forgives her every time no matter how degraded she may feel (presumably because of the blood bond her domitor holds over her).
In reality, Genevieve has a remarkable memory for names, and Anette is unaware that she is the 5th personal assistant to have inherited the Marie name. Genevieve one day decided it was simply too tiresome to have to bother to remember her lowly aides' (read: slaves) names, and simply chose to just call them all Marie as a form of generic name/title. A few who are in on the joke even realise that the name Marie is in itself an inside joke, a self-amusing stab at Queen Marie Antoinette, who Genevieve despised during her mortal days (and centuries of unlife after Marie Antoinette's death - arguably caused by Genevieve - has done little to change that). The idea of having a slave named after the Queen that was not only the victim of Genevieve's crimes but ended up being made out to be the true villain is a never-tiring joke to Genevieve.
The current Marie has been Genevieve's aide since 2017 and is renown for her friendly and personable nature, and her desire to please her master. She has virtually no life outside of serving Genevieve, giving leeway to have just occasional contact with those friends that Genevieve allows her to, and this is only because this serves Genevieve's interest to have those connections. Genevieve has as much consideration for Annete's well-being as a mechanic might for a favoured tool. Valued and appreciated, but easily replaceable with little thought. Some argue that Genevieve's only limited concern for her well-being is more out of a desire to not have to waste time and effort breaking in and training a 6th Marie than it is out of any actual concern for Annete.
Combat Style
Genevieve abhors combat. She thinks it is beneath her, and combat is one of the few things that can end her reign. Therefore, she avoids it when possible, although if pressed usually keeps a Walther PPK pistol in her handbag. This said, there is rarely a need for her to draw it, as Genevieve almost never travels anywhere without her ghoul bodyguard, and in addition has a small, well-armed, defence team in charge of her personal security - in addition to the standard security all her holdings have. All members of this team are ex-military, most of them having served in both national forces and then undertaken mercenary work before being employed by Genevieve. There are rumours that this team of highly-efficient and quite ruthless security have undertaken illegal and dirty actions on Genevieve's behalf. But as there are rarely any bodies, or at least nothing traceable, left behind in their wake, this is pure conjecture and anyone who makes these claims out loud can expect to be visited by Genevieve's legal team.
If, somehow, Genevieve is removed from her security, she relies on her Walther PPK and Celerity to avoid damage, whilst attempting to bring her mind-and-emotion-controlling Disciplines to bear to her advantage.
Social Style
Genevieve can be relied on in two ways:
- She always looks out for her self-interests first, before that of even her clan or anyone else. Even when things seem altruistic, and benefit others (her clan or a charity, for example) more than her, she still gains SOMETHING. She plays the long game, and sometimes minor benefits may be worthwhile if the end gains may be worth it.
- Her beauty is matched only by her vanity. Those who flatter and show humility and respect before her, especially if they are beautiful, will naturally curry favour with her. Genevieve is smart enough to understand her own favouritism, and is exceptionally good at telling when other people are just pretending respect, to play her, but the instinct is there nonetheless.
As such the best way to approach Genevieve is to be extremely humble and flattering to her, praising her and demeaning oneself before her; and offering her something that she can benefit from. Approaching her with a request for aid is likely to get laughed at, but a petition for aid with a promise of service, recompense, or prestation debt, given properly, may win out.
Those who are rude or dismissive to her (or anything less than impeccably polite) quickly earn her emnity. That is never a good thing to do unless you actually want to commit social and career suicide. Only the most powerful or untouchable kindred dare to risk her emnity; or Gangrels, who live in a world that Genevieve has little influence over.
Signature Equipment
- Ridiculously expensive outfit - almost never seen twice.
- Walther PPK
- Bentley Mulsanne Extended Wheelbase (chauffer-driven)
Signature Quotes
- "I accept that perhaps saying that it was a shame the Nosferatu couldn't be gassed away like the cockroaches they are may have been a tad inappropriate... but you must understand dear that I was upset over a kine having the temerity to spill his blood on my dress when I fed! It was Haute couture! Besides, their drama-queen over-reactions were seriously out of proportion!"
- "Yes yes I get your point, this little project of yours will help many homeless. But what do I get out of it? They have no money, can't afford to buy any of my properties, no talent I can promote, and I certainly don't want dirty homeless people in my clubs! I am sure even their blood would taste foul!"